Liquid level sight gauge



May 3, 1955 F. J. DUPURE 2,707,396

LIQUID LEVEL SIGHT GAUGE Filed May 16, 1952 United States LIQUiD LEVELEIGHT GAUGE Ford J. Dupure, Dearborn, Mich.

Application May 16, 1952, Serial No. 283,281

4 Ciaiins. (Cl. IS -32s) This invention relates to a liquid level sightgauge for use in determining the liquid leve. of tanks, boilers, andother liquid containing devices.

Liquid level sight gauges have been employed heretofore to facilitatedetermining the liquid level of the container, however, the severaldevices of the prior art have not proven entirely satisfactory inasmuchas they are complicated in design and construction, expensive tomanufacture, and diflicult to install.

With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the invention is toprovide a liquid level sight gauge which is simple in design andconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to install.

An object of the invention is to provide an integral body sight gaugewhich can be manufactured cheaper than sight gauges assembled fromvarious parts as the separate manufacturer of the parts and thesubsequent integration thereof is eliminated.

An object of the invention is to provide a sight gauge which ismountable as a unit thereby insuring proper alignment between the headsand the sight glass apertures.

An object of the invention is to provide a sight gauge having a glasssealably mounted between resilient members and out of contact withpositive force members thereby eliminating breaking of the glass.

An object of the invention is to provide a sight gauge having a sealingwasher at either end of the glass which is resiliently sealably pressedagainst the head and resiliently sealably pressed against the glass by acoil spring.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following description of an integral body liquid levelsight gauge embodying the invention taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. l with the tube shown partly in elevation; and

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the device taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views, the liquid level sightgauge disclosed therein to illustrate the invention includes a cast bodyin comprising like hollow heads 11 and 12, like spaced parallel struts13 and 14 formed integral with the heads 11 and 12 joining them insecured spaced aligned relationship and like nipples 15 and 16 formedintegral with the heads 11 and 12 respectively communicating with thehollow interiors thereof.

The like heads 11 and 12 are oppositely disposed and are equipped withfacing and aligned sight tube receiving apertures l7 and 18 respectivelyand outwardly disposed threaded plug receiving apertures i and 2%respectively.

It can now be seen that the integral body lltl provides like chambers Aand B in the heads 11 and 12 respectively,

Z,7@7,396 Fatented May 3, 1955 IQQ capable of communicating with theinterior of a liquid container via the nipples l5 and 16 with thenipples being sealably disposed relative to the container 30 by sealingwashers 31 and 32, nuts 33, and lock-washers 34. The tube 4%) isdisposed between the struts 13 and 14, in the apertures 17 and 18 sothat the ends 41 and 42 of the tube 49 extend well into the chambers Aand B respectively. it is to be noted that the heads 11 and 12 areequipped with shoulders 21 and 22 adjacent the apertures 17 and 18respectively. Like sealing washers 43 and 4d are respectively disposedon the seats 21 and 22 and respectively surround the projecting ends 41and 42 of the tube 46*. Like coil springs 45 and 46 are respectivelydisposed in the chambers A and B of the heads 11 and 12 so as tosurround the respective projecting ends 41 and 42 of the tube 4%) and sothat the springs 45 and i6 respectively bear upon the sealing washers 43and 44. Like plugs 47' and 48 are sealably threaded in the threaded headapertures 19 and 20 respectively against the sealing washers 43 and Mrespectively. it can now be seen that the like springs 35 and 46respectively press the sealing washers 43 and 44 against the shoulders21 and 22 to effect a sealing relationship therebetween. it can also beseen that the pressure exerted by the like springs 45 and :6 against thewashers 43 and 44 respectively causes them to expand sidewise outwardlyand sidewise inwardly against the projecting ends 41 and 42 of the tubeat in sealing relationship.

It is important to note that the plugs 47 and 48 do not contact the tubeit and that the tube 46 floats in suspension between the sidewiseexpanded washers 43 and 44 free of any causes creating a tendency in thetube as to break. Due to the fact that the heads 11 and 12 are formingintegral with the struts l3 and 1d the apertures 1'7 and 1d are fixed insecure alignment, so that no stress is placed on the tube 4t). Moreover,in securing the device to a container 32'), it is to be noted that thetorque generated by tightening the nuts 33 is not transferred to thetube dd but rather absorbed by the struts 13 and 14.

The device can be mounted either completely assembled or disassembled,as desired, to facilitate the individual and particular requirements ofthe job or the fancies of the applicator or workman. The sight tube 40can be easily cleaned by removing the plugs 4-7 and 48 and projecting abottle brush through the tube 4%; washers 43 and 44 are easily replaced,as are the springs 45 and 46, if such is required. in the event higherpressures than normal are present in the container 3ft, heavier washers43 and 34 and heavier springs 35 and do can be employed to exert greatersealing pressures against the shoulders 21 and 22 and against theprojecting ends 41 and 42 of the tube at. The inventive sight gauge withthe features described constitutes a compact durable, fool-proof, andneat appearing article easily in stalled on a container and easilycleaned and serviced.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in thesize, shape, details, and arrangement of the various elements of theinvention within the scope of the appended claims. For example,pet-cocks, not shown, may first be installed on the container andunions, not shown, may then be employed to mount the nipples l5 and lidon the pet-cocks.

I claim:

1. A die-cast sight gauge having a single piece homo geneous body forvisually determining the liquid level of a container such as a tank orboiler comprising a first hollow head, a second hollow head, a pair ofspaced struts joining said heads, said heads each having a glassreceiving first aperture in their near opposed ends located between saidstruts, a shoulder in each of said heads surrounding the firstapertures, a glass tube disposed between said struts extending into saidheads via the glass receiving apertures therein projecting beyond saidshoulders, a washer in each of said heads positioned on said shouldersurrounding the projecting ends of said tube, a coil spring in each ofsaid heads surrounding the projecting ends of said tube bearing on saidwashers; said heads each having second threaded apertures in their faropposite ends; a plug sealably threaded in each of said second aperturesbearing against said springs so as to sealably press said washersagainst said shoulders and to sealably expand said washers against thesides of said tube projecting ends, and a nipple on the side of each ofsaid heads communicating with the interior thereof and adapted tocommunicate with the interior of said container.

2. A gauge having a single piece homogeneous body for visuallydetermining the liquid level of a container such as a tank or boilercomprising a first hollow head having a first glass tube receivingaperture in one end and a second threaded plug receiving aperture in theother end, a like second hollow head spaced from said first head havinga first glass tube receiving aperture in one end and a second threadedplug receiving aperture in the other end; said heads being integratedwith their tube receiving apertures inwardly disposed facing each otherin alignment and their plug receiving apertures outwardly disposed;paired struts connecting said heads and joining with said heads oneither side of the tube receiving apertures thereof; a first shoulder insaid first head surrounding the tube aperture, a second shoulder in saidsecond head surrounding the tube aperture, a sight tube disposed betweensaid struts projecting into said heads beyond said shoulders, a firstwasher in said first head seated on said first shoulder surrounding theadjacent projecting end of said tube, a second washer in said secondhead seated on said second shoulder surrounding the adjacent projectingend of said tube, a first coil spring disposed in said first headsurrounding the adjacent projecting end of said tube and bearing on saidfirst washer, a second coil spring disposed in said second headsurrounding the adjacent projecting end of said tube and bearing on saidsecond washer, a first plug sealably threaded in the second aperture ofsaid first head compressing said first spring on said first washer so asto sealably press said first washer on said first shoulder and tosealably expand said first washer against the adjacent projecting end ofsaid tube, a second plug sealably threaded in the second aperture ofsaid second head compressing said second spring on said second washer soas to sealably press said second washer on said second shoulder and tosealably expand said second washer against the adjacent projecting endof said tube, and means for connecting each of said heads to saidcontainer in COIllmunication with the interior of said container.

3. A sight gauge having a single piece homogeneous body comprising likespaced hollow top and bottom heads oppositely disposed, paired strutsintegrally joining said heads; each head having a tube receivingaperture located between said struts facing and aligned with each other,and a threaded plug receiving aperture outwardly disposed at the top andbottom of the body; and like nipples integral with said heads projectingsidewise outwardly from said heads in alignment communicating with thehollow interior or" said heads and adapted to communicate with theinterior of a container to connect the interior of said heads with theinterior of a container; like shoulders in each said head surroundingthe tube receiving apertures, a sight tube disposed between said headslying between said struts and projecting inwardly of said heads pastsaid shoulders, like washers in said heads seated on said shoulderssurrounding the projecting ends of said tube, like coil springs in saidheads surrounding the projecting ends of said tube bearing on saidWashers, and like plugs sealably threaded in the plug apertures or" saidheads sealably compressing said washers against said shoulders andsealably expanding said Washers sidewise outwardly against theprojecting ends of said tube.

4. A sight gauge having spaced, hollow top and bottom heads, each ofsaid heads having means adapted to connect said heads to a container andto transmit fluid from the interor of said container into said heads,means connecting said heads and holding them in spaced relation, eachhead having a tube receiving aperture located therein facing each otherand being aligned with each other, a threaded plug receiving aperture ineach head oppositely disposed with respect to said tube receivingapertures, said plug receiving apertures terminating at a shoulderinside said hollow heads, a sealing washer disposed on each of saidshoulders, and a spring contacting each of: said Washers, whereby plugsthreaded into said plug receiving apertures compress said springs whicheX- pand said washers in a direction to restrict said tube receivingapertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS839,618 Murphy Dec. 25, 1906 2,130,981 Fischer Sept. 20, 1938 FORElGNPATENTS 2,383 Great Britain June 7, 1876 4,322 Great Britain -Feb. 17,1897 7,567 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1902

1. A DIE-CAST SIGHT GAUGE HAVING A SINGLE PIECE HOMOGENEOUS BODY FORVISUALLY DETERMINING THE LIQUID LEVEL OF A CONTAINER SUCH AS A TANK ORBOILER COMPRISING A FIRST HOLLOW HEAD, A SECOND HOLLOW HEAD, A PAIR OFSPACED STRUTS JOINING SAID HEADS, SAID HEADS EACH HAVING A GLASSRECEIVING FIRST APERTURE IN THEIR NEAR OPPOSED ENDS LOCATED BETWEEN SAIDSTRUTS, A SHOULDER IN EACH OF SAID HEADS SURROUNDING THE FIRSTAPERTURES, A GLASS TUBE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID STRUTS EXTENDING INTO SAIDHEADS VIA THE GLASS RECEIVING APERTURES THEREIN PROJECTING BEYOND SAIDSHOULDERS, A WASHER IN EACH OF SAID HEADS POSITIONED ON SAID SHOULDERSURROUNDING THE PROJECTING ENDS OF SAID TUBE, A COIL SPRING IN EACH OFSAID HEADS SURROUNDING THE PROJECTING ENDS OF SAID TUBE BEARING ON SAIDWASHERS; SAID HEADS EACH HAVING SECOND THREADED APERTURES IN THEIR FAROPPOSITE ENDS; A PLUG SEALABLY THREADED IN EACH OF SAID SECOND APERTURESBEARING AGAINST SAID SPRINGS SO AS TO SEALABLY PRESS SAID WASHERSAGAINST SAID SHOULDERS AND TO SEALABLY EXPAND SAID WASHERS AGAINST THESIDES OF SAID TUBE PROJECTING ENDS, AND A NIPPLE ON THE SIDE OF EACH OFSAID HEADS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR THEREOF AND ADAPTED TOCOMMUNICATE WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER.